A disciple of Christ is not alarmed if a post about her faith does not receive 1,000 likes or even a few friendly emojis.
My average number of views on my blog is 7. I have 3 likes in 3 years! 5K words twice a week and no one cares! It doesn’t matter much to me. I figure HF will use it how he wants, if he wants. If nothing else, during the millennium and there is no Satan they can look back and see what it was like to live in these perilous times!
Young people, carry a prayer in your heart always. Let sleep come every night with your mind centered in prayer."
"No message is repeated more times in scripture than the simple thought: “Ask, and ye shall receive” ( D&C 4:7 ).
I often ask the Lord for direction from Him. I will not, however, willingly accept promptings from any unworthy source. I refuse them. I do not want them, and I say so.
Young people, carry a prayer in your heart always. Let sleep come every night with your mind centered in prayer."
"After quoting Moses 1:39, President Marion G. Romney, who was a counselor in the First Presidency, said: “Hence, we see the complete unselfishness of our Father in Heaven. His whole work and glory is to bring eternal life and happiness to his children. Should not our whole purpose in this life, therefore, be made up of righteous service one to another? If not, how can we ever hope to be as he is?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1981, 132; or Ensign, Nov. 1981, 93)."
Hello Brandon, I am going tell a story through these emails to my home teachees:
March 12 12:41 PM home teachees,
Gardine's have for girls starting at 15 years old. She miscarried last time. They live in Don Sadlier's old house. He is an online attorney. Beau Samuel Gardine was born last week!
Ken Perkins is still retiring. :-)
Funniest moment: SS teacher Jesse said those of you who know me know I live the Maxim, never speak two words when one word will do. Or none.
His wife is out of town and he texted her that they had made it to church early. They have five little boys!
Mindy, his wife – how did you do it? Jesse – we didn't have to wait for you. V – yikes!
Spiritual insight for me: 10 sections speak of the field is white and ready to harvest. Jesse – what happens to the white ripe crop if left unharvested?
Answer: Wasted…
Alex Gardine dared to send the book of Mormon to a business friend in Oklahoma last November. Yay!
April 1 8:41 PM Veba,
general priesthood meeting was only 80 min. tonight. General women's conference was only 75 min. last Saturday. We got out 40 min. early! Times have changed.
President Almquist projected it on every screen in every chapel of the stake! We've got the technology let's use it.
Henry be I ring told of the drunk that crashed through the window of the bank in his car.
Dieter F who door told of being slighted at the dedication of the Madrid Spain Temple 20 years ago. He was an area rep and they didn't even sent him an invitation after all his involvement and work..…
Thomas S Monson said if we have not charity we're nothing, and he was first.
It has been a lazy day for me. Listened and slept all day in my living room recliner.
Tomorrow can be the same.
LDS.org has all the talks up if you are interested. Love you four. God bless you Vern
April 9 1:46 PM home teachees Varlo, Andrea, Bruce, Eric,
Welcome to fast Sunday, we had testimonies today. Andra Garrett has listened to “Jesus the Christ” over and over in response to I you are you are a challenge to the sisters from the stake president last year. Ramona Cox bore her testimony of the same. Jesus seems less ethereal and more real and approachable now that Andra understands him better. She imagined him attending our sacrament meeting with his marks, and she was able to do it.
Her son waited seven years for a child him they were going to that blessing today. Kim Garrett and his sons gave a long injured daughter a priesthood blessing this week and he said what the spirit indicated not what he wanted as a father.
Funny – at Frostop he and Andra discussed what he could say and couldn't say about her in his testimony. He loves her, was all he was allowed to say.
The book of Mormon was added to the Penguin classic list in 2008.
Todd May shared book of Mormon documentary from KBYU in high priest group.
I looked up the Penguin Classics list. There are 500 books on the list.
This was the last week Jesus was on earth. One of these days of the week he went off on his own for strength. Palm Sunday is today.
What a miracle of a man! His life was full of sacrifice. Thank you Jesus. Vern
April 16 12:33 PM.
Eligized Epizoic Easter
VABE,
love you. May you be blessed with beauty this day.
We got a new stake counselor last week. From desert hills Ward, Dale Wilson Beatty. So long president Clark, released.
Q and Quincy both spoke in church today. Primary children sang. Choir sang. H Councilman Mitch Six, with us for almost 2 years, was our main speaker.
Bishop doesn't go a week without remembering the forgiveness of Kathy Allgood towards her husband's killer. He/bishop sat beside her as she wasted away with cancer. She did not know how she could ever do it as she faced her husband's killer in court. But the miracle occurred. She felt forgiveness towards him. Christ changed her heart. Do You have ways you would like him to change your heart? He can do it. He has changed mine.
There are additional ways I should invite him too.
April 16 12:58 PM from Varlo
I should probably work on president Beatty's false testimony against me …forgiving him for that. [VARLO RESPONDED BRANDON! It has been months!]
April 16 1:04 PM
Love you Varlo! Love your candidness. Thank you for sharing.
Each time I type Barbara while indexing, I plug my nose! Barbara Garrett my firing principal!
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2017 5:22 PM hello Brandon, I just dropped your two postcards off at the post office and had them cancel the stamps. While I was in town I stopped off at Smith's grocery store and purchased a Kroger ham and 20 pounds of potatoes and a pound of carrots. Look out Davenport's here comes your springtime feast suggested by Brandon Perry Smith! When I made the Easter feast for Bill Young last Wednesday I didn't ask for any input. As you know when he told me: Vern this isn't going to work, I responded, trash it if you want to. Well, I would like to give Davenports the options: What time of the day would you like it delivered? Will a glazed ham dinner work for you? But I better just do it without asking. I will shoot for dinnertime Wednesday, tomorrow. @ I like to think my 5 screen text messages are pretty special each week. To get a response from Varlo thrilled me! JRH said, "count everything, report everything." That was a relief. I can't list all the food and treats I have dropped off along with letters and testimonies every month. They know who their home teacher is! Quinn and Bonnie Carter never knew who their new one was for 9 months after I was released. It turned out to be Tim Gardner the new EQ counselor and baseball coach at DHHS. I kept Carters as a family until he finally went for his first time with his son. I have never done that before. Kept visiting even after released. I like how you contrasted friendship versus home teaching in your postcard. Our quorum hasn't been active home teachers for years. You talk about being friends which is much much more than HT. But only half the virgins will make it to the feast. Satan will be pleased about that. @
Tuesday,April 18 9:24 PM Andrea and Varlo,
Brandon P Smith thinks you deserve dinner. How about glazed ham Wednesday night at 5:30? (Tomorrow)
I have everything and I'm excited to do it. You can call it your spring feast. :-)
I know you would prefer I didn't, but too bad… Pineapple and everything! Vern
Wednesday,April 19 5:28 PM
Andrea and Varlo, it is the bewitching hour. Not midnight when Cinderella loses her slipper but 5:30 Wednesday when Vern warned dinner was coming!
Please say: HERE when you are home so I know when it is safe to deliver. :-)
Previous message follows: Brandon P Smith thinks you deserve dinner. How about glazed ham Wednesday night at 530? (Tomorrow)
I have everything and I'm excited to do it. You can call it your spring feast. :-)
I know you would prefer I didn't, but too bad… Pineapple and everything! Vern
April 19 5:58 Pm from Andrea: Vern that is very nice of you! I just talked to Barlow. He is with the customer at work. Not sure when he'll be home but he said he'll let you know when he is. He was post to get off work at five today, unless there is a customer. He'll be home before I will. With his job you never know!!
April 19 6 PM
thank you Andrea!
I understand.
I will await further notice. :-) V
April 19 7:34 PM Andrea and Varlo,
two hours later…
Hope you're being productive!
Dinner Is ready when you are, up until midnight. Then the coach turns into a pumpkin. :-) V
April 19 8:21 PM from Andrea We are on the way home. We'll stop and get our ham dinner so you don't have to deliver. How's that?
April 19 9:03 PM Incoming! V
April 19 11:15 PM from Andrea Vern, thank you for the delicious meal! That was really so thoughtful of you and we really appreciate it. Sorry our schedules are so crazy!
Thursday, April 20 11:24 AM No amount of describing your difficult schedules could be more convincing than last night!
You are very welcome. I hope you could/can enjoy it. You are loved and valued and admired! God bless you in your challenges. V
//\\so Brandon we finally made our dinner delivery! Davenport's doorbell doesn't work. Vern's doorbell doesn't work. Molly barked once when Davenport's came to pick up their dinner. But since there is no doorbell I didn't hear anything, and I wasn’t about to get up to check the door just because she barked once. At nine o'clock when I checked my phone again I noticed Andrea's text. Some of the juice spilled in my trunk. My car smells delicious. I invited Varlo out onto his front porch and showed him how I pressed his front doorbell with my glasses'temple. Davenport's have two dogs but they did not bark until I finally knocked. As Barlow answered the door he said you can tell who runs the house! (The dogs). Our Ward had Subway sandwiches for the “picnic in the Park” Ward activity last night. I took my phone with me so that I could check if the Davenport's were to text me. I socialized with everyone until the end and then I brought home two pieces of Subway sandwich. I ate them layer by layer as I read Ezra Taft Benson's biography last night. Delicious. As I prayed last night I told heavenly father that I felt peaceful, happy, blessed. I felt I had a light glowing inside me of righteous spirituality. As I visit with heavenly father my prayers often run 15 or 20 min. Ezra Taft Benson was the oldest in his family. At 12 years old his father was called on a mission so Ezra got to milk the cows and take care of the farm. Joseph F Smith declared family night for the church in 1915. Ezra was 16 and his dad was home from his mission. Besides kneeling for prayer three times a day as they ate their meals together as a family, they have morning and evening family prayers as well. Add to that your personal prayers and it's no wonder Ezra Taft Benson prayed about everything as an apostle. From 1952 to 1960 he served Dwight D Eisenhower as secretary of agriculture. He was an apostle at the time. He started his meetings with prayer even in Washington DC! I didn't used to know how to visit with heavenly father, but it is sure pleasant to feel comfortable talking with him now. It is similar to how I report in to my sister Gayelynn'77 every day. @@Good FRIDAY morning brandon, I attended BoM class last night after babysitting Lincoln n Grace for 4 hours. I felt little bit grumpy. It had been a yucky afternoon. Sister Heidi Taylor is very slow. And at the end of class, in her last story she admitted to telling stories very slowly, and apologized for it. The stories are delightful and when she said slow what she really means is long. We don't mind long stories especially when they are interesting and spiritual. It is the hunting for what to do or say next in the lesson that is the bother to me. I also love her candidness. She told how she feels like Eeyore when she comes to teach the lesson but leaves feeling like Roo! Pretty candid wouldn't you say! I used to take a long time when responding to Mark Clayton's questions when I was in therapy. He suggested it was because I had so many judges/editors in my mind and what I had to say had to clear all these different boards of inquiry in my mind before I could let it out, representing my absolute truthful thought. Heidi has admitted being in psychotherapy. @ I proposed the lessons be 90 minutes long like my PoGP class at the beginning of the lesson and she made and open-mouthed distorted face showing her disapproval. Karye commented on her long expressive face! Heidi writes slowly and extremely neatly on the board. She is teaching 4th grade for her first time this year. She admitted being/feeling too apprehensive and unqualified in 2013 when she graduated with her elementary teaching certificate. So she was the computer assistant at Sandstone Elementary. She told the sweetest story last night of fasting twice last year to get her teaching position. The whole story takes about 10 minutes but in a nutshell her principal told the faculty committee she was not an option when the position opened. He interviewed everyone else first and then finally gave her an interview. Human Resources emailed her that no decision had been made and they were leaving the position open for the time being. She interviewed for and opening in Hildale and on the drive she offered HF her willingness to drive there everyday (polygamy country) if that was his will. No job offer. She has two PVHS sons. She is single. What a struggle to become an earning single parent! I am so grateful to hear how HF takes care of his obedient challenged children! The principals were meeting at the district to make decisions again and she heard about the meeting and began another fast and prayer day. She feels in her heart that a true fast is 24 hours. Impressive. She began her fast and in prayer she asked that her name be brought to Sandstone principal's mind. Last week she was offered a contract for this next year. Her principal shared with her that the morning of that district meeting as he prayed, her face came into his mind. He knew he needed to hire her and that it was HF's will, and that he would have to put his personal issue/offense aside. She heard this, the rest of the story, the full circle and discovered just recently the other side of HF's response. Here she is a mother of teens Brandon, not ready to teach upon graduation, and seeking a position when she finally feels ready. Can you see how HF doesn't force things? He did not expect/require her to teach that first year! She had this principal write her a letter of recommendation and there was nothing bad in it so she had no idea why she wasn't being hired. These circles of choices can be so complex! I am glad HF is in charge. @@ Randall is a white haired, low IQ, horny, 50yo, navy released, silly, neck damaged, obnoxious commenter in our class. He made at least 30 irritating comments and diversions to the lesson last night. Things go in his brain and they come right back out. He is socially so inept. He give Primary answers quickly with a smirk. So irritating. Heidi humored him all night last night. I am proud of her. My patience was too thin. For the last years he was an Obama cuss-er. Everything was Obama's fault. @ I had to do some writing to distract and focus myself as the lesson proceeded last night. I did not have patience for Randall but I did keep my cool as my 90 minute proposal was attacked throughout the lesson. :) To tell the truth I can't stand the idea of going to a 90 minutes class on Tuesday nights. So why propose our Thursday night class should be extended? There is a totally different feeling in our Thursday class. We socialize, within a gospel theme. It is sweet and interacting. I may have suggested the class be longer because we don't make it through much of the lesson. . . but that is only the logical approach, the real reason is much different! Now, the brag: I planted the seed. You should have heard my prayer/ visit with HF last night! @@
I wrote Louis and Bonnie a follow-up to my text offer.
L n B,
I texted you an offer to babysit Lincoln on Sundays so you can partake of the sacrament.
1- I watched them on Wednesday and Thursday and your family is on my mind.
2- I listened to RDH this afternoon and his talk was spectacular in my opinion. Even as old and decrepit as he is.
3- The sacrament isn't magical but it is the most frequent ordinance in the church. Why is that? Please stop and consider your answer.
4- Ordinances:
-baptism
-confirmation
-ordinations for boys
-washing and annointing
-endowment
-sealings
that's it.
84:20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
That is the whole verse! Try to explain that some time!
5- I need to nourish my spirit everyday. If I need it in my old single state, you surely do in your young family state! Just like our cell phones need to be charged, our souls need to be nourished. One of the symbols on our garment stands for that.
6- You guys need HF's help with all Lincoln's needs. I needed his help to stay teaching school and support my family. I was at my wit's end. It was a bigger problem than I could handle.
7- There really was a premortal existence. This earth life really is a test. How close is your Father in Heaven? He was very distant from me for years and years.
8- There are 7 days in a week for a reason.
9- I want to have more in common with you.
10- I can get a substitute. Work for others on the Sabbath without compensation is called service. I can offer you this service. I can do it during the week, why not Sunday? Louis may remember this is not the first time it has come to mind. You may remember me saying church is more important than school in my opinion.
So when should I be there? Are you convinced?
Love you,
Vern and Papavern
